1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing systems for maintaining databases, and in particular, to distributed database systems capable of managing large volumes of data.
2. Background and Prior Art
Information processing systems based upon digital computer technology are useful for analyzing and maintaining large amounts of information about business processes. Information systems are frequently applied to process control activities which generate a large amount of data which must be analyzed and which is frequently stored for later query and display. One example of such process control is the operation of a large computer system. The computer system will generate a large number of status, informational, and error messages. Each of these messages must be reviewed and a response given to the system. The messages are maintained in a log of messages and responses so that any operational problems can be tracked and solved.
The collection of console logs has traditionally been accomplished by writing the logs into a direct access storage device or tape storage device on the controlled computer system. The introduction of distributed control systems such as that described in concurrently filed and co-pending application Ser. No. 07/771,064, commonly assigned, now abandoned, allows automated management of the large system control process. In addition, it allows control of a number of separate systems from a single control area. Console data collected in this environment is most effectively stored in the same distributed workstation environment. However, the large volume of data to be stored makes existing workstation database options infeasible. Thus, the first problem to be addressed is the requirement to store large volumes of data on a distributed network.
A second problem to be solved is to provide a means for ensuring that data accessibility is not compromised by hardware or software failures, e.g. through redundancy and duplication of the data. Finally, a problem exists in developing a system capable of logging varying amounts of data by balancing the loads between separate data storage facilities.
Distributed databases and distributed database management is known in the prior art. For example, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin February 89 pp. 474-475 entitled "Protocol for Hybrid Centralized Distributed Database System" describes a protocol for maintaining consistent data at central and distributed sites. U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,008, filed May 15, 1989, commonly assigned, discusses a remote authorization scheme relying on data at a database server.
Prior art distributed database systems typically replicate a single set of data to distributed sites, or store disjoint portions of the data at different sites. Thus, for example, a distributed inventory system may store the inventory information for each of a set of warehouses in a computer system located in or near each warehouse. This type of prior art system does not solve the present problems, however, because the large amount of data generated is not readily split into disjoint subsets for storage on a distributed system.
Thus, a technical problem exists in developing an information management system for storing large volumes of data with full redundancy on a series of distributed databases. The technical problem must provide a method of allowing the data to be queried, printed, and archived to long term storage means.